Consumable Article for an Aerosol Generating Device

ABSTRACT

A consumable article for an aerosol generating device includes at least two capsules configured to contain a vaporizable material and each containing a heating element for aerosolising the vaporizable material through an electric actuation of the heating element, wherein the article includes a positive pole bus and a negative pole bus, wherein each heating element is individually connected to the positive pole bus and to the negative pole bus through a positive contact and a negative contact of the heating element, wherein the relative position of the positive and negative contacts of the heating element with respect to the positive pole bus and negative pole bus allows to set the temperature of the heating element in use.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present disclosure relates generally to aerosol or vapor generating systems and devices, more particularly to aerosol or vapor generating devices with consumable articles such as removable capsules or other liquid-containing devices for removable connection to an aerosol or vapor generating device.

BACKGROUND

The use of aerosol generating systems and devices, also known as e-cigarettes, e-cigs (EC), electronic nicotine delivery systems (ENDS), electronic non-nicotine delivery systems (ENNDS), electronic smoking devices (ESDs), personal vaporizers (PV), inhalation devices, vapes, which can be used as an alternative to conventional smoking articles such as lit-end cigarettes, cigars, and pipes, is becoming increasingly popular and widespread. The most commonly used e-cigarettes are usually battery powered and use a resistance heating element to heat and atomize a liquid containing nicotine (also known as e-cigarette liquid, e-cig liquids, e-liquid, juice, vapor juice, smoke juice, e-juice, e-fluid, vape oil), to produce a condensation aerosol (often called vapor) which can be inhaled by a user.

These e-cigarettes are known in the art and on a general level they comprise a mouthpiece arranged in fluid communication with a cartridge, inserted in the mouthpiece or an e-cigarette body to which the mouthpiece is connectable. A heating element is further arranged in an airflow path between an outlet of a liquid chamber in the cartridge and the mouthpiece to allow vaporization of the liquid contained in the chamber into an aerosol. The heating element may be arranged in connection with the body of the e-cigarette or in the cartridge itself and is designed to be electrically connected in use to a power supply or source. Control circuits, sensors and/or switches may also be provided for an improved control of the e-cigarette and its power/heating management.

Various heating element arrangements are known from the prior art for such aerosol generating systems. Most commonly found heating elements comprise resistive elements such as metal wire coils, which heat upon electrical connection to up to 450° C. to generate an aerosol. These heating elements are cheap and easy to implement but do not allow proper control of the heating temperature of the liquid.

Beyond wire coils, more sophisticated resistive heating elements comprising laminar components have also been proposed in the prior art. US 2017/0333650 describes for example an elongated heating element formed by a resistive lamella extending longitudinally in a cartridge parallel to an airflow path of the cartridge.

In the art, it is also known to provide e-cigarettes with cartridges containing several (different) e-liquids. US2014366898 for example discloses a cartridge comprising multiple stacked compartments each surrounded by a liquid barrier. Each compartment contains vaporizable material and an individual heater, and each compartment is removable. The individual compartments and heaters are arranged in a stacked-series configuration. The cartridge includes a single central airpath therethrough the stacked compartments. A circuitry controls the selection of the electronic heaters to be activated utilizing push button controls and a power supply is connected to the heater wire of each individual heater of the several compartments.

The known devices however may present several weaknesses. In particular, with existing devices where a plurality of vaporizable materials are present, the activation of individual heaters to heat each of the vaporizable materials is complicated and not practical for the user. Furthermore, heater arrangements of known devices are suffering limitations with regard to the possibility to adjust the aerosol temperature along the air flow channel of a cartridge. In addition, heater and electrical arrangements of known devices may add complexity and diminish reliability in the known devices, especially when they are implemented with multiple elements requiring a multiplicity of contacts. All these limitations have an impact on the consumer satisfaction from a user perspective.

SUMMARY

An aim of the present invention is to propose a device and methods where a plurality of, possibly different, vaporizable material or products may be used in a simple manner, in the form of capsules pre-filled with the vaporizable material or products.

A cartomizer in the frame of the present invention is to be understood as a cartridge containing an aerosol-forming (also called “vaporizable”) material (for example an e-liquid or a wax or a gel) combined with heating means for heating and evaporating the material contained in the cartridge. In addition, the cartomizer may contain a plurality of different materials as will be apparent from the following description and embodiments of the invention.

On a general level, the present invention concerns a consumable article for an aerosol generating device, the article comprising at least two capsules, each configured to contain a vaporizable material, each configured to rotate relative to another capsule and each containing a heating element for aerosolising said vaporizable material through an electric actuation of the heating element, wherein the article comprises a positive pole bus and a negative pole bus, wherein each heating element is individually connected to said positive pole bus and to said negative pole bus through a positive contact and a negative contact of said heating element, wherein the relative position of the positive and negative contacts of the heating element with respect to the positive pole bus and negative pole bus allows to set the temperature of the heating element in use.

In embodiments the relative position of the positive and negative contacts of each of the heating elements with respect to the positive and negative pole buses may define an electrical resistance of the heating element.

In embodiments a movement, such as a rotation, of each capsule determines the relative position of the positive and negative contacts of each of the heating elements with respect to the positive and negative pole buses.

In embodiments a predetermined relative position of the positive and negative contacts of each of the heating elements with respect to the positive and negative pole buses, enable to disconnect one of the positive and negative contacts from its positive pole bus or negative pole bus, thereby disconnecting the heating element.

In embodiments the capsules comprise at least one attachment means configured to connect one capsule to another so that they can rotate freely between them.

In embodiments each capsule contains a different vaporizable material. In other embodiments, each capsule may contain the same vaporizable material. In other embodiments, some capsules may contain a same vaporizable material and other capsule(s) another vaporizable material.

In embodiments the article and/or the capsules comprise stopping means to block the movement of each capsule.

In embodiments the stopping means comprise mechanical stops. Such stopping means may comprise molded protuberances on the walls of the article and/or capsule. In other embodiments, protuberances may be added parts on the article and/or capsule.

In embodiments the heating elements comprise a C-shaped plate with an outer periphery and an opening and mesh material on at least one side of the disc plate. An outer periphery of the disc-plate circumference is sandwiched between two parts of a carrier module in such a way to contact the vaporizable material which surrounds the outer surface of the carrier module. The vaporizable material enters the carrier module through the mesh material for example by capillarity and is then evaporated by the heat generated through the disc-shaped heating element.

In embodiments the disc plate comprises means for holding the mesh material. The mesh element may be attached to the disc element by means of crimping ears or other equivalent means such as clips, ears, lugs etc. or a combination thereof. The disc-shaped element may preferably be realized as a C-shaped element, the extremities of which having the function of electrical contacts. A heat gradient may be achieved in radial direction of the disc-shaped element between said outer periphery and said opening, the temperature being proportional to the current distribution, enabling a selective evaporation of substance provided in the vaporizable material. For example, the temperature gradient allows to have the higher temperature aligned with the temperature for the highest constituent in the e-liquid, such as about 200° C. to 230° C., and the lowest value should be about room temperature, such as about 30° C., to avoid overheating the liquid in contact with the mesh. Accordingly, a temperature gradient will be about 170° C. to 200° C. Of course, other values may be possible depending on the conditions and the vaporizable material.

In embodiments the opening is at the center of the plate.

In embodiments a thickness of the plate measured in a transversal cross-section thereof perpendicular to sides of the plate is variable between the outer periphery of the plate to the opening. Preferably, the variable thickness gradually diminishes between the outer periphery and the opening.

In embodiments a largest dimension of the opening is at most equal to a width of the plate, said width being measured from the outer periphery to an outer edge of the opening in a direction passing through the centre of the opening

In embodiments the thickness profile of the disc plate diminishes to reach a sharp end or a flat end.

In embodiments the disc plate is made for example of metal material and the mesh material is made for example of sintered or non-sintered metal fiber material or other porous materials The disc plate material and mesh material must resist to typical temperatures used to vaporize e-liquid, i.e., should not deform. Materials for the disc plate should be conductive and have a resistance as appropriate for implementing the heating with the current source available according to the principles of the present invention. Typical non-limiting illustrative examples of materials are Nickel, Nichrome, Kanthal, Tungsten, stainless steel, and/or alloys of these materials.

In embodiment the heating elements of each capsule are arranged such that the central opening from one heating element is aligned along a longitudinal axis with the opening of the other heating element, thereby defining an air flow channel.

In embodiments the disc plate of the heating element is placed substantially perpendicularly to air flow

In embodiments the present invention concerns an aerosol generating device comprising a consumable article as defined in the present application. The consumable article may be a cartomizer. A cartomizer in the frame of the present invention is to be understood as a cartridge containing an aerosol-forming material combined with heating means for heating and evaporating the material contained in the cartridge.

In embodiments the present invention concerns an aerosol generating device, such as an e-cigarette, comprising an article as defined in the present application. The device may be an e-cigarette for example.

The above and other objects, features and advantages of the present invention and the manner of realizing them will become more apparent, and the invention itself will best be understood from a study of the following description with reference to the attached drawings showing some preferred embodiments of the invention.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated herein and constitute part of this specification, illustrate embodiments of the invention, and together with the general description given above and the detailed description given below, explain features of the invention.

FIG. 1 illustrates an embodiment of an aerosol generating device according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 illustrates a schematic top view of an embodiment of a capsule according to the present invention.

FIG. 3 illustrates a schematic top view of an embodiment of a device according to the present invention.

FIGS. 4-6 illustrate schematic top views of embodiments of a consumable article according to the present invention.

FIG. 7 illustrates a schematic top view of a heating element according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIGS. 8A to 8C illustrate embodiments of disc plates according to the present invention.

FIG. 9 illustrates an embodiment of a disc plate with a mesh material according to the present invention.

FIGS. 10A-10D illustrate embodiments of means to attach mesh material to a disc plate according to the present invention.

FIG. 11A illustrates an embodiment of a consumable article according to the present invention in perspective and partial cut view.

FIG. 11B illustrates a top view of an embodiment of a consumable article according to the present invention.

FIG. 11C illustrates an embodiment of a part of a consumable article according to the present invention in perspective and partial cut view.

FIG. 11D illustrates a cut view of the part of FIG. 11C.

In the present application, identical reference numerals are used, where possible, to designate identical elements that are common to the figures. Also, the drawings are simplified for illustration purposes and may not be depicted to scale.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF SEVERAL EMBODIMENTS

In the following description, the principles the present invention will be detailed with reference to an e-cigarette, but they are not limited to this illustrative embodiment and applicable to other similar device which are suitable to use a consumable article with a vaporizable material. The term vaporizable material is used to designate any material that is vaporizable at a temperature up to 400° C., preferably up to 350° C., for example aerosol generating liquid, gel, wax and the like.

In an embodiment, the aerosol generating device 1 comprises a body, which comprises at its distal end 2 for example an energy source (such as a battery), electronics for the management of the device (IC, memory etc.), the body further containing at its proximal end (close to a mouthpiece 5) a consumable article such as a cartomizer 2 a a plurality of capsules 3 (in this non-limiting example three capsules 3) that are stacked one onto the other, at least one common bus 4 and a mouthpiece 5. The stacked capsules 3 form an airflow channel 6 through which a vapor 7 formed by heating of a vaporizable material, contained in the capsules 3 is directed into the mouthpiece 5 for inhalation by a user.

The capsules 3 comprise attachment means, such as clipping means, allowing them to be attached together. In addition, the attachment means allow the capsule 3 to rotate freely once attached to each other.

A top view of a capsule 3 is illustrated in FIG. 2 . The capsule 3 comprises a heating element 10 with electrical contacts 11, 12 and first and second capsule stopper means 13,13 a. The heating element 10 will be described in more detail hereunder in the present application.

FIG. 3 illustrates a top view of the proximal end of the consumable article 2 a. It comprises two common bus bars: one positive pole bus bar 4 a and one negative pole bus bar 4. Of course, the positive and negative poles may be inverted. The proximal end also comprises first and second device stopper means 15, 15 a. Stopper means 13,13 a, 15, 15 a may be molded protuberances for example.

FIG. 4 illustrates a top view of a capsule 3 in the proximal end of a consumable article 2 a. In the illustrated position, the capsule is disconnected meaning only one electrical contact 12 is connected to the bus bar 4′ and clockwise rotation of the capsule 3 with respect to the device 2 is prevented by the stopper means 13′ and 15 a. This eliminates the need for any On/Off switch separate from the capsule to disconnect the capsule.

FIG. 5 illustrates another top view of a capsule 3 in the proximal end of a consumable article 2 a of a device 1. In the illustrated position, the capsule 3 is rotated counterclockwise with respect to the device 2 so that now both electrical contacts 11 and 12 are connected to the respective bus bars 4,4 a. The electrical path between the two bar bus contacts is the longest so that electrical resistance is higher, current is lower and temperature is lower in the heating element 10. This eliminates the need for any power distribution element that is separate from the capsule.

FIG. 6 illustrates another top view of a capsule 3 in the proximal end of a consumable article 2 a of a device 1. In the illustrated position, with respect to FIG. 5 , the capsule 3 is further rotated counterclockwise so that both electrical contacts 11 and 12 are still connected to the respective bus bars 4, 4 a but the electrical path between the two bar bus contacts is the shortest so that electrical resistance is lower, current is higher and the temperature is higher in the heating element 10. Both stopping means 13, 15 are in contact so a further rotation of the capsule 3 is prevented.

Accordingly, the disclosed construction and means allow in a simple way (by rotation of the capsule 3) to determine the temperature of the heating means that will be applied to the vaporizable material of the capsule. When the device 1 comprises several stacked capsules 3 as in FIG. 1 , the user may in a simple manner choose a desired position for each capsule 3 so that the proper temperature is applied to the vaporizable material of the respective capsule 3. The temperature may depend for example on the vaporizable material (for example a set value or recommended value) or on the tastes of the user in case of an e-cigarette.

FIGS. 7 to 10C illustrate in more detail embodiments of heating means that may be used with the capsules of the present invention.

In embodiments, the heating means according to the present application comprise a heating disc plate 10 having a general C-shape as shown in FIG. 7 . The disc plate 10 comprises an opening 10 a preferably placed at the center of the plate 10. The disc plate 10 further comprises contacts 11 and 12, reference 11 illustrating a positive contact and reference 12 illustrating a negative contact. The electrical contacts 11, 12 may be integral with the plate 10 or may be attached and electrically connected to the plate 10. Alternatively, one contact 11 or 12 may be integral with the plate 10 and the other contact 12 or 11 may be attached and electrically connected to the disc plate 10. Also, reference 11 may illustrate the negative contact and reference 12 the positive contact.

In FIG. 7 , the temperature gradient is schematically illustrated with the lowest temperature at the periphery of the disc plate which is also the entry point of the vaporizable material as marked in FIG. 1 and the hottest zone being around the opening 10 a of the disc plate 10.

According to an embodiment of the present invention, a mesh is placed at least on one side of the disc plate as illustrated in FIGS. 9 and 10A, 10C.

FIGS. 8A to 8C illustrates embodiment of the disc plate 10 in cross-section. According to these exemplary embodiments, the disc plate 10 seen in transversal cross section taken along a central symmetry axis Z-Z′ passing through the centre of the opening 10 a may present a different profile: for example in FIG. 8A, the profile is a constant thickness. In FIG. 8B, another profile is shown whereby the thickness gradually diminishes between the outer periphery of the plate and the opening 10 a to reach a sharp end forming a rim 11 a of said opening 10 a. In FIG. 8C, another example is shown where the rim 11 a is formed of a flat and not a sharp one. Considering an angle a defined between a median plane M of the disc plate 10 and a line parallel to the upper surface U or lower surface L of the disc intersecting the longitudinal axis Z-Z′ at the centre of the opening 11, the angle a will be in a range from about 5° to about 45.

In all these embodiments, the transversal shape will have an effect on the heating time and the temperature gradient and the shape may be adjusted to reach a desired effect, for example a heating time and/or temperature or performance.

FIG. 9 illustrates an example of a disc plate 10 with a mesh 14 in cross-section according to embodiments of the present invention. The disc plate 10 of this figure corresponds to the embodiment of FIG. 8A for illustrative purposes and the disc plate 10 may also be as illustrated in FIGS. 8B or 8C or another disc plate according to the present invention. The mesh 14 may be on one side of the disc plate 10 or on both sides.

FIG. 10A illustrates examples of means used to attach the mesh 14 to the disc plate 10. For example, one may use clips 20 as illustrated on the left side of the assembly of the disc plate 10 and mesh 14, or a part 21 of the disc plate 10 as schematically illustrated on the right side of the assembly disc plate 10 and mesh 14. The part 21 may be an ear of the disc plate 10 for example for crimping the mesh 14. The means may be placed on the outer periphery of the disc plate 10 or they may be placed in the opening 10 a or both. In order to maintain the mesh 14 on the disc plate 10, one preferably uses more than one of said means, for example at least three clips 20 placed around the periphery of the disc plate and/or around the periphery of the opening 10 a. The same construction may be followed for the ears 21. Other equivalent means may be envisaged and different means may be combined together as well.

FIG. 10B illustrates a top view of a disc plate 10 with ears 21 on the outer periphery of the plate and ears 22 on the periphery of the opening 10 a. In this example, four ears 21 and three ears 22 are illustrated but less than four/three or more than four/three may be used. Also the numbers of ears 21 and 22 may be the same or different. The ears 21, 22 may be replaced by clips 20, or one may use a combination of clips 20 and ears 21, 22.

FIGS. 10C and 10D illustrate top view and side cut view of a disc plate 10 with a mesh 14 that is fixed by the ears 21, 22.

According to the present invention, the disc plate material and mesh material must resist to typical temperatures used to vaporize e-liquid, i.e. should not deform or be damaged/transformed by the temperature of the device. Materials for the disc plate should be conductive and have a resistance as appropriate for implementing the heating with the current source available according to the principles of the present invention. Materials for the mesh should be suitable for the intended use and able to allow the vaporizable material to permeate through the mesh material by capillarity and to evaporate by the heat generated by means of the disc plate. Materials include metals, alloys, mix therefrom and other equivalent materials such as Nickel, Nichrome, Kanthal, Tungsten, stainless steel, and/or alloys of these materials.

FIGS. 11A to 11D illustrate in more detail embodiments of a capsule 3 according to the present invention. The capsule 3 comprises a clamping head 30 comprising several clipping ears 31. These clipping ears 31 have a spring effect and allow an assembly of two capsules 3 by insertion in internal cavity 32 of another capsule 3. The internal cavity 32 is shaped to receive the ears 31, as illustrated in FIGS. 11A-11D. The numbers of ears 31 may be less than four as illustrated in FIG. 11B, for example three, or more than four. These ears 31 allow an easy assembly and disassembly of capsules 30 to each other, while also allowing a relative rotation of the capsules 3. Other equivalent means to the ears 31 are of course possible in the frame of the present invention for achieving the same result.

FIG. 11C illustrates the internal cradle 35 with an upper cradle 36 and a lower cradle 37. The internal cradle 35 is used to carry the heating element (disc 10 and mesh 14) and is in the capsule 3 as shown in FIG. 11A.

FIG. 11D illustrates a partial cut view of the cradles 36, 36 and the contact zone between the mesh 14 and the reservoir 8 of the capsule containing the vaporizable material, such as an e-liquid, allowing the vaporizable material to permeate through the mesh material.

The present description is neither intended nor should it be construed as being representative of the full extent and scope of the present invention. The present invention is set forth in various levels of detail herein as well as in the attached drawings and in the detailed description of the invention and no limitation as to the scope of the present invention is intended by either the inclusion or non-inclusion of elements, components, etc. Additional aspects of the present invention have become more readily apparent from the detailed description, particularly when taken together with the drawings.

Moreover, exemplary embodiments have been described to provide an overall understanding of the principles of the structure, function, manufacture, and use of the systems and methods disclosed herein. One or more examples of these embodiments are illustrated in the accompanying drawings. Those skilled in the art will understand that the systems and methods specifically described herein and illustrated in the accompanying drawings are non-limiting exemplary embodiments and that the scope of the present invention is defined not solely by the claims. The features illustrated or described in connection with an exemplary embodiment may be combined with the features of other embodiments. Such modifications and variations are intended to be included within the scope of the present invention. A number of problems with conventional methods and systems are noted herein and the methods and systems disclosed herein may address one or more of these problems. By describing these problems, no admission as to their knowledge in the art is intended. A person having ordinary skill in the art will appreciate that, although certain methods and systems are described herein with respect to embodiments of the present invention, the scope of the present invention is not so limited. Moreover, while this invention has been described in conjunction with a number of embodiments, it is evident that many alternatives, modifications and variations would be or are apparent to those of ordinary skill in the applicable arts. Accordingly, it is intended to embrace all such alternatives, modifications, equivalents and variations that are within the spirit and scope of this invention. 

1. A consumable article for an aerosol generating device, the article comprising at least two capsules, each of the at least two capsules configured to contain a vaporizable material, each of the at least two capsules configured to rotate relative to another one of the at least two capsules and each of the at least two capsules containing a heating element for aerosolising the vaporizable material through an electric actuation of the heating element, wherein the article further comprises a positive pole bus and a negative pole bus, wherein each heating element is individually connected to the positive pole bus and to the negative pole bus through a positive contact and a negative contact of the respective heating element, wherein a relative position of the positive and negative contacts of each heating element with respect to the positive pole bus and negative pole bus allows setting a temperature of the respective heating element in use.
 2. The article as defined in claim 1, wherein the relative position of the positive and negative contacts of each of the heating elements with respect to the positive and negative pole buses defines an electrical resistance of the respective heating element.
 3. The article as defined in claim 1, wherein rotation of the at least two capsules determines the relative position of the positive and negative contacts of each of the heating elements with respect to the positive and negative pole buses.
 4. The article as defined in claim 1, wherein a predetermined relative position of the positive and negative contacts of each of the heating elements with respect to the positive and negative pole buses, enables disconnection of one of the positive and negative contacts from the positive pole bus or the negative pole bus, respectively, thereby disconnecting the respective heating element.
 5. The article as defined in claim 1, wherein the at least two capsules comprise at least one attachment means configured to connect one of the at least two capsules to another of the at least two capsules so that the respective capsules can rotate freely with respect to one another.
 6. The article as defined in claim 1, wherein each capsule contains a different vaporizable material.
 7. The article as defined in claim 1, wherein the article and/or the at least two capsules comprise stopping means to block movement of each capsule.
 8. The article as defined in claim 7, wherein the stopping means comprise mechanical stops.
 9. The article as defined in claim 6, wherein each heating element comprises a C-shaped plate with an outer periphery and a central opening and mesh material on at least one side of the plate, wherein the outer periphery of the plate and the mesh material are configured to be in contact with vaporizable material.
 10. The article as defined in claim 9, wherein the plate comprises means for holding the mesh material.
 11. The article according to claim 9, wherein a thickness of the plate measured in a transversal cross-section thereof perpendicular to sides of the plate is variable between from the outer periphery of the plate to the opening.
 12. The article as defined in claim 9, wherein a largest dimension of the opening is at most equal to a width of the plate, the width being measured from the outer periphery to an outer edge of the opening in a direction passing through a centre of the opening.
 13. The article as defined in claim 10, wherein the plate is made of a metal and the mesh material is made of a metal.
 14. The article as defined in claim 9, wherein the heating elements of each of the at least two capsules are arranged such that the central opening from one of the heating elements is aligned along a longitudinal axis with the central opening of another of the heating elements, thereby defining an air flow channel.
 15. An aerosol generating device comprising the article as defined in claim 1, wherein the positive and negative pole buses are connected to a power supply.
 16. The article according to claim 11, wherein the thickness of the plate gradually reduces from the outer periphery to the opening.
 17. The article as defined in claim 13, wherein the metal of the plate is at least one of nickel, nichrome, kanthal, tungsten, or stainless steel.
 18. The article as defined in claim 13, wherein the metal of the mesh material is at least one of nickel, nichrome, kanthal, tungsten, or stainless steel. 